I respectfully disagree. While cost is an issue, its a side issue. Is my wife a full CUK or not? The joint membership does not make her feel like it.

Many organisations offer joint memebership discounts. Many organisation are still able to offer individual membership cards. Why are CUK so hopeless on this?

Why should your wife (and yourself) pay less than a single person? If you pay less why are you unhappy with getting less?

Ian

Its about membership. You either are a member of a club and get the member benefits, or you are not. CUK seems to have created a halfway house.

That does not address why a couple (under joint membership) pay less than a single person but seem to expect the same benefits (or to cherry pick what benefits they do get). Pay a reduced rate and get reduced benefits - makes sense to me.

On which basis over 65's, under 18's and the unwaged would get reduced benefits.

Currently only affiliated members get fewer benefits in return for their discount.

Back when I was a member I didn't start threads accusing CTC of discriminating against certain groups. I accepted being discriminated against as I was on a reduced subscription. I didn't even regard it as being discriminated against.

Although interestingly I've started noticing more such organisations are stopping under 18's, unwaged and pensioners reduced subscriptions. My British Canoeing membership has no such reduced fees membership options.

You are right, I am mistaken (I've not renewed since the new membership scheme came into effect). But no "unwaged" or "retired" option.

BUT, I suspect Joint/Family membership may be treated as a single membership (single membership number) and most "full" members join only because of the included waterways license (only reason I'm a member) so the benefits become somewhat more complex (i.e. you get something real and expensive bundled in in my case my BCU membership is only a few £ more expensive that buying a Broads Waterways Licence. BUT, I might be wrong because their web site seems particularly vague, BUT BCU have a bit of a reputation of being a "rip-off" (e.g. their insurance is significantly more expensive than commercially available through other agents).

Just checked with a friend about previous scheme and they said a married couple they know have to join as two separate full memberships as they each kayak single person kayaks and thus need two waterways licenses so joint membership would have significant disadvantages. Waterways licenses are only a few £ cheaper than single membership so joint with only one waterways license is poor value for many. But this is 3rd hand as I don't have joint membership so it's thus indirect.

I am experiencing a new twist on an old theme. For years my husband and I had household membership and I put up with the occasionally inconvient lack of a membership card of my own. Once we were both over 65 it was cheaper to get two individual "senior"* memberships - now we get two magazines delivered to the same address but I still don't have a membership card!

*I presume this discounted rate still exists but it is not specifically mentioned on the membership page - it only gives the fee for an "Individual in employment between the ages of 18 and up to 64 years." Maybe we're too old to join at all now.

LollyKat wrote:*I presume this discounted rate still exists but it is not specifically mentioned on the membership page - it only gives the fee for an "Individual in employment between the ages of 18 and up to 64 years." Maybe we're too old to join at all now.